MEDC President to Speak in Saginaw

Saginaw Future 19th ANNUAL AWARDS Luncheon

Saginaw Future (SF) will be celebrating its 19th ANNUAL AWARDS Luncheon that will feature Michael A. Finney, president and CEO for the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. He will give a presentation on new economic development policies for the State of Michigan.

Michael A. Finney is the President and CEO of the MEDC, the State of Michigan’s lead economic development agency, and is responsible for executing Governor Snyder’s economic development strategy.

Prior to taking the helm at MEDC, Finney served as President and CEO of Ann Arbor SPARK (SPARK), a public-private partnership whose mission is to advance innovation-based economic development in the greater Ann Arbor, Michigan region.

Finney also served as President & CEO of Greater Rochester Enterprise, Rochester, New York; Vice President of Emerging Business Sectors at the MEDC; Senior Vice President and General Manager, Thomson Saginaw and Assistant City Manager, Saginaw, Michigan.

Finney has received numerous awards and recognition including the 2008 Saginaw Valley State University Outstanding Alumnus for the College of Business and Management; named by Crain's Detroit Business as one of the 2007 Newsmakers of the Year; and 2005 Minett Distinguished Professor at Rochester Institute of Technology.

Saginaw Future will be honoring 34 projects valued at more than $181 million that created and retained more than 710 jobs in 2010.

Saginaw County and the Great Lakes Bay Region – ENERGIZING THE NEW ECONOMY is this year’s theme, which refers to rejuvenated traditional industries and new technology being developed in Saginaw County and the Great Lakes Bay Region.

Established in 1992, Saginaw Future (SF) is a public-private alliance of local businesses, the County of Saginaw, City of Saginaw, 16 local municipalities and the Saginaw County Chamber of Commerce. SF’s strategic partners also include education, labor and government. Since its beginning, SF has remained dedicated to fostering quality job creation through expansion of local industry and attraction of new business projects to the community.